Typical Audience:
Lay rescuers requiring a formal qualification in CPR & AED
Anybody interested in saving a life
Companies wishing to have an AED on their premises
Duration: 4 hours

Certificate: Irish Heart Foundation certificate (valid for 2 years)

What is an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)?

An AED is a computerised device, which can:
Analyse the heart rhythm of a person in cardiac arrest
Recognise a shockable rhythm
Advise the operator whether the rhythm should be shocked
Save many lives if used within minutes of arrest
Up to recent times in Ireland the AED was used soley by Healthcare Professionals (Doctors and Ambulance Personnel), but now we see PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATION (PAD), where an AED and lay people trained in it’s use are at locations where people typically gather: Factories, Shopping Centres, Sports Facilities, Clubs etc.

Some facts about the AED:
The new generation of defibrillators AED’s make it possible for trained lay rescuers to deliver defibrillation
Having lay rescuers equipped with AED’s in settings where large numbers of people gather saves precious minutes and largely improves survival rates for cardiac arrest victims. It can increase survival rates by up to 50%
Facilities such as large office complexes, gated communities, sports arenas and concert halls can benefit from AED’s and training employees in their use as part of a public access defibrillation programme (PAD)
The Irish Heart Foundation/American Heart Association strongly encourages establishing a PAD programme as an vital way to save lives of thousands of cardiac victims
Statistically in Ireland, over 6,000 people die from sudden cardiac arrest each year.